After discussing the codes, meanings and various techniques used by street artists, you will wander the streets of a provincial village away from bustle of the city, in the heart of the 13th arrondissement: la Butte-aux-Cailles – “caille” is a quail in English but Charlotte your guide may reveal the true meaning of this name.

This neighborhood is famous among street artists as the mayor of the district encourages and promotes street art. Furthermore, a local association organizes each summer a festival where the on street art creator is invited to use all available walls within the district to give a specific identity to every edition of the event. Some murals are kept for years; others replaced the next year.

You might think it’s almost vandalism. But one of Street Art’s fundamental aspects is its fleeting nature. Pieces and artists on the walls are constantly changing. That’s what makes each tour with Charlotte unique and based on what the artists will leave for you on the wall the night before.

In Details

This will be a complete treasure hunt, looking for tags, graffiti, paste-up or murals.
You are guaranteed to find street art around every corner but the works of art mentionned below can’t be guaranteed, for Street Art is a moving art.

Urban Solid, a team of two Italian street artists, specialized in 3D pieces. It’s not uncommon around a street corner to stumble upon a wall embossed with a figure, seemingly emerging from it. Or a TV screen, an ear. Whatever it is, you will surely stop, needing time to realize that this person is a fake. May be, you thought, that street art was only made of paintings or stencils but sculpture is often a chosen medium by artists.

Vhils, for example, of Portuguese origin, prefers abandoned walls dedicated to destruction. He thus proves that art could arise from destroyed urban locations. He sculpts impressive faces in stone or plaster-covered walls. Sometimes, he even reveals deeper layers like metal or wood.

Artists sometimes create pattern less visible, demanding extra attention from strollers to be noticed. That’s more the kind of street art Clet Abraham develops, with his very discreet stickers on road signs, of which meaning changes. You will better understand why street art could be cleaned off, considered as damaging public equipment.

Discover an “open air museun” of urban art in this Street art tour

You will recognize Philippe Baudelocque’s works, if you see some. They’re of wide size, based on animal patterns (stork, hippopotamus…) and made with white chalk on darker background. Through his “cosmic animals” as he says, the artist’s only claim is poetic, not one of social understatement.

Around any corner, according to the art pieces’ random preservation, you’ll doubtlessly get the opportunity to spot Mis Tic’s dark-haired vamp surrounded with mottos playing with words, or Jace’s gouzous, small orange chaps that reach for the moon or do trampoline.

Paris is really a wonderful city, there is always something new to experience. After two stays, I wanted something different and maybe something more contemporary. This tour with Charlotte was the perfect match for me. It allowed to go in a quite remote district of the city, far enough from the touristic highlights to really feel in a genuine environment. The pieces of art we spotted are quite amazing, so bigger than you could imagine, others so tiny that you have to almost use a magnifying glass… at least your best and accurate attention!!! Charlotte is clearly passionate of this topics, she couldn’t shop sharing her enthusiasm… quite lovely !